Sidewalk coal-chute.



No. 886,112; PATENTED APR. 2s, 1908.

TQRGLARK.

SIDEWALK GOAL GHUTB. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13, 1061.

WITNESSES: M sa Mk INVENTOR rnsriokms ms'rsns 00., WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED srarns THEODORE F. CLARK, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

SIDEWALK COAL-CHUTE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A ril as, 1908.

Application filed'August 13, 1907. Serial No. 388,331.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE F. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing-11 at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sidewalk Coal- Chutes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to chutes which are applicable for use in sidewalks or analogous situatlons.

The object of my invention is the provision of a device of this character which will afiord an efficient closure for an opening in a floor or sidewalk, be readily manipulated for operation as a chute and in such condition safeguards the opening against people falling thereinto.

The invention consists of a stationary frame within which is tiltably mounted a cover having wings to which. is hinged. a trough chute.

The invention further consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts, as will be hereinafter described in connection with said drawings, of which Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of an embodiment of the invention illustrated in its distended operative condition; Fig. .2, a plan view of the same and with the cover partly broken away; and Fig. 3, a similar view to Fig, 1. but represented in its closed inoperative position.

The reference numeral 5 designates a frame comprised of a flat plate 5 having a centrally disposed rectangular opening with a depending flan e 6 about the latter. This flan e is desirably arranged to be perpendiciilar to said plate at the front and two sides of the frame while at the rear side it is sloped forwardly terminating at its top and bottom, respectively, in a convex curve 6 and in a concave horizontally disposed shelf 7. Around the frame 0 ening is a rabbet 8 formed by the inner ec ges of said plate frame and the top of a depressed led 'e 9, which latter at each side is given a bend 10 and thence slopes downwardly, as at 9.

Fitted to seat within the rabbet and have its top surface 11 flush, or in the same plane, with the corresponding face of the frame plate is the cover 1 1. Adjacent of the lateral edges of the cover are provided side walls 13 of an approximately triangular shape but with their forward edges curved, as at 13, in proximity of .the cover and likewise, as at 13, toward their opposite ends.

The side walls are spaced a art so as to freely enter the opening of t e frame between the ledges upon the sides thereof, and, the contours and dlsposition of the aforesaid curved portions of the walls are such that when the cover is tilted upwardly from the position in which it is represented in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 1, the lower curves 13 can be maintained in juxtaposition with the back edge 9 of the front part of said ledge and allow of the back of the cover sliding down the adjacent sloping part of the frame flange to the shelf 7. The other curvedportions 13 serve to urge the cover backwardly when being tiltably closed so that it will be deposited within the frame rabbet.

The above referred to opening movement of the cover may be accomplished by any suitable means, such as by manipulating through a lifting-ring 14 secured to the cover at its forward end by imparting an upward and forward pull thereupon. This action of the cover is facilitated by the use of counterweights 15 suspended from lines 16 which pass over pulleys 17, ivotally supported in frame-lugs 17, and t ,ence .along the outsides of the side-walls and to which they are secured near the wall ends 18. Hinged or otherwise pivotally connected to said side walls and in proximityof the ends 18 is a trough which is comprised of an apron-plate 19 of a width slightly less than the distance between the side walls 13 of the cover and is, like the latter, provided with side walls 20 spaced so as to freely enter between bars 21 secured to the cover-walls 13. serve to reinforce the cover and likewise afford a stop against which the apron-plate 19 abuts when the trough is in its closed condi tion, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the trough then being thus maintained by a catch 22.

'The above mentioned connection between the cover walls and the trough is preferably formed by bending the inner portion 19 of the apron-plate 19 about a transversely arranged rod 23 having its extremities seated in brackets 24 which are fixedly connected to the cover walls 13.

25 is a lug formed or provided upon one of the walls 13 and arranged to engage with the under side of the frame shelf 7 when the apparatus is in the condition represented in Fig. 3.

These bars The operation of the invention is as follows: Assuming that the apparatus is closed, as in Fig. 3, then by exerting an upward and slightly forward pull upon the ring 14 which, with the force contributed by the counterweights 15, causes the tilting upwardly of the cover 11 and during the performance of which the rear end of the latter is withdrawn from the frame rabbet and deposited in the concavity of the shelf 7, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The cover being thus thrown back and retained through the action of said counter-weights, the latch 22 is disengaged from the plate 19 when the trough is tilted forwardly to rest upon the front of the frame. Under certain circumstances, however, as when coal is to be dumped or shoveled directly from a cart or wagon into the chute, the trough would advantageously be disposed in an inclined position, as indicated by broken lines in the view. To effect the closing of the apparatus, the trough is first tilted backwardly and locked to the cover-walls by the latch, whereupon both the cover and trough are tilted forwardly, and in so doing the front edges of the side walls 13, acting in conjunction with the encountered ledge-ends 10, the-cover plate 11 is carried to seat within the frame rabbet 8 and be flush with the frame.

Among the advantages of the invention is its adaptability for use in side-walks whereon there is considerable travel, as, when. closed, it offers no inconvenience to pedestrians, while in its operative condition they are safeguarded from falling into the opening of the chute by the upwardly extending walls and late of the respective parts; the cover is refiably seated in the frame rabbet and under no circumstances is it possible to be displaced or opened through the passage of people thereover the cover cannot be dropped through the opening of the frame in any position in which it is susceptible of being placed; it is readily opened and closed; and any leakage of water between the cover plate and the frame is conducted into the concave shelf whence it may be carried away by suitable pipes.

Havlng described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent, is-

1. The combination with the frame provided with an opening and a rabbet about the latter, a cover fitted for seating in the rabbet and arranged to be tilted into and out of the same, anda trough pivotally connected with the cover.

2. The combination with the frame provided with an opening and depressed ledges thereabout, said ledges at the sides and adj acent of the rear end being directed downwardly and terminating in a concave shelf depending from the rear of the frame, of a cover, counter-weights, flexible connections between the said cover and the counterweights, and a trough hinged to said cover and adapted to be swung outwardly to rest upon the frame when thejcover is tilted rearwardly to expose the frame opening.

3. The combination with the frame provided with an opening and depressed le ges thereabout, said ledges at the sides and adjacent of the rear end being directed downwardly and terminating in a concave shelf depending from the rear of the frame, of a cover, counter-weights, flexible connections between the said cover and the counterweights, a trough hinged to said cover and adapted to be swung outwardly to rest upon the frame when the cover is-tilted rearwardly to expose the frame opening, and means for securing the trough to and between the walls of the cover;

4. The combination with the frame rovided with an opening and depressed le ges thereabout, said ledges at the sides and adj acent of the rear end being directed downwardly and terminating in a cone ave shelf depending from the rear of the frame, of a cover provided with side walls, counter-weights, flexible connections between said walls and the counter-weights, and a trough hinged to said walls and adapted to be-swung outwardly to rest upon the frame when the cover is tilted rearwardly to expose the frame opening.

57 The combination with the frame provided with an opening and depressed ledges thereabout, said ledges at the sldes and adj acent of the rear end being directed downwardly and terminating in a concave shelf depending from the rear of the frame, of a cover provided with side walls, counterweights, flexible connections between said walls and the counter-weights, a trough hinged to said walls and adapted to be swung outwardly to rest upon the frame when the cover is tilted rearwardly to expose the frame opening, and means for securing the trough to and between the walls of the cover.

6. The combination with a frame comprised of a plate with a rabbet upon its inner edge, and a pendent shelf at the rear of the frame, of a cover fitted to said rabbet and adapted when tilted to have its back edge deposited upon said shelf, side walls connected to the cover, and a trough hinged to 8. The combination with a frame comprised of a plate with a rabbet upon its inner edge, and a pendent shelf at the rear of the frame, of a cover fitted to said rabbet and adapted when tilted to have its back edge deposited upon said shelf, side walls connected to the cover, a trough hinged to said side walls, and means for securing the trough in its closed position with said walls.

9. The combination with a frame comprised of a plate with a rabbet upon its inner edge, and a pendent shelf at the rear of the frame, of a cover fitted to said rabbet and adapted when tilted to have its back edge deposited upon said shelf, side walls connected to the cover and having curved forwafid edges, and a trough hinged to said side wa s. r

10. The combination with a frame comprised of a plate with a rabbet upon its inner edge, and a pendent shelf at the rear of the frame, of a cover fitted to said rabbet and adapted when tilted to have its back edge deposited upon said shelf, side walls connected to the cover, counter-weights connected with said walls and tending to exert an upward and forward pull to the cover, and a trough hinged to said side walls.

11. The combination with a frame comprised of a plate with a rabbet upon its inner edge, and a pendent shelf at the rear of the frame, of a cover fitted to said rabbet and adapted when tilted to have its back edge deposited upon said shelf, side walls con nected to the cover and having curved forward edges, a trough hinged to said side walls, means for securing the trough in its closed position with said walls, and a lug provided upon one of said side walls for engagement with said shelf when the cover is seated within the frame rabbet.

12. The combination with a frame comprised of a plate with a rabbet upon its inner edge, and a pendent shelf at the rear of the frame, of a cover fitted to said rabbet and adapted when tilted to have its back edge deposited upon said shelf, side walls connected to the cover and having curved forward edges, counter-weights connected with said walls and tending to exert an u ward and forward pull to the cover, a troug hinged to said side walls, means for securing the trough in its closed position with the said walls, and a lug provided upon one of said side walls for engagement with said shelf when the cover is seated within the frame rabbet.

13. The combination with the frame provided with a rabbet about its inner edges, of a closure for the frame, a trough hinged to the closure, means whereby the closure in opening has its rear end withdrawn from the rabbet and lowered when the forward end of the closure is raised, and means whereby the closure is returned to seat within the rabbet when the forward end of the closure is tilted forwardly and downwardly.

14. The combination with the frame provided with a rabbet about its inner edges, of a closure for the frame, counter-weights with said closure, a trough hinged to said closure, means whereby the closure in opening has its rear end withdrawn from the rabbet and lowered when the forward end of the closure is raised, and means whereby the closure is returned to seat within the rabbet when the forward end of the closure is tilted forwardly and downwardly.

15. The combination with the frame provided with an opening and depressed ledges thereabout, said ledges at the sides and adj acent of the rear end being directed downwardly and terminating in a concave shelf depending from the rear of the frame, of a cover provided with side walls, and a trough hinged to said walls and adapted to be swung outwardly to rest upon the frame when the cover is tilted rearwardly to expose the frame opening.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THEODORE F. CLARK.

Witnesses:

HORACE BARNES, A. B. SMITH. 

